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Monday, October 28, 2013

How's it going family!? I loved the pictures of everyone's halloween costumes! Such fantastic creativity! I've very impressed, this year for Halloween I'm going to be a sister missionary.... lame right? Actually Sister Call and I had pioneer costumes at our ward trunk or treat, so we were little pioneer children missionaries. Be jealous, it was a good costume.

how sister missionaries carve pumpkins :)

So this area is quite interesting, different than my last, but I like it! Already we've seen a whole bunch of miracles! It started off a little rough however with an evil cold that tried to get me, not to worry I'm fighting it off..

We have a new investigator! And she's amazing! Her name is Brooke and she is very sweet and very excited about learning the gospel. We had a powerful lesson with her and her best friend that's in the ward, it was so cool to see how much she trusts her friend. That's how missionary needs to be, we need to share it with our friends. It was so awesome she texted us after our lesson and told us about how she was starting to read to book of mormon. I just love her. So that's exciting.

My favorite miracle moment of the week however was just classic: We were walking to our car after an appointment (our ride abandoned us kinda so we had like a long way to walk to our car) And a man was sitting outside fixing the breaks on his car, he actually is a member of the ward but he hasn't been to church in a while. Anyway we started talking to him and inviting him the trunk or treat and he just said he had a lot he needed to do, like rake the leaves and stuff. And we nearly died because we have wanted so badly to rake someone's leaves! (Well I really wanted to... haha) And he was like sure, go for it! I'm not kidding you there was like leaves 3 or 4 inches deep on his lawn, so we made like the biggest pile ever. Then it got exciting because the neighborhood children wanted to come jump in our leaves with us, haha so we of course invited them to join and we met all kinds of people just because we wanted to jump in the leaves. So moral of the miracle, don't underestimate the little things in life, stop to rake someone's leaves, or whatever it is you might not normally do. Just stop and meet someone! That's what being a missionary is, loving the people that are around you. And when you do this heavenly father blesses you with what ever simple pleasures you need. He is so good to his children.

Leaves!

I'm grateful to be a missionary in Bellvue at this time! heavenly father puts us in places for a reason, we are all called to be on this earth right now in this day and age, so ask youself, are you fulfilling your purpose on the earth? Do you know why you're here? Do you remember how much heavenly father trusted you when he sent you to this earth? Do you remember who you are!? That's something I'm learning and I'd encourage you all to ask yourself that and see if you feel how empowering it is to know without a doubt who you are. I know that I love you all very much and am so grateful for you! You are amazing. I'm so gratful that I was blessed to come into this world with such cool people. Have an amazing week okay??

To answer some of your questions: Dad I haven't gotten your letter if you sent it to Lincoln I don't know how long it will be before it gets forwarded to where I am now because they have to send it to the mission home and then to Bellvue... complicated I know.... Thanks for writing me though! I appreciate letters and I'm doing my best to reply... I'm sending out postcards today... maybe hoping I get around to it :)

Thomas: I love you so much... your letters are winning the award for coolest letters so far... you're right loving you to the moon and space makes absolutely no sense. Sometimes my brain doesn't work. Oh and my car accident was super pathetic, didn't I tell you that? the only damage was that the other car's license plate was like indented into the bumper of our car... cool right!

So family I love you from this earth to the moon and across the galaxy to pluto the subplanet whatever, and back!

Monday, October 21, 2013

Hello there! Guess what transfers happened and my whole world flipped upside down. As expected from being a missionary. It is fantastic. I fasted for peace with this next transfer because I had a difficult time last transfer, you'll never believe what has happened. It's just so unheard of! Haha ready for it?? So president called last monday night and was talking to sister schrader, he told her she was going to train, and stay in pioneer, my heart thumped... because I knew I would be leaving the Katz, and Sister Schrader and the Pioneer ward and everything... I was shaking a little bit when she handed me the phone. Then president asked me if I would be willing to serve as a Sister Trainer Leader... Yikes! I accepted, then he told me who my companion is.... you will never believe it family. Sister Call! I freaked out! I never thought we'd possibly be companions again, let alone so soon. I kinda feel like heavenly father just gave me a big huge glazed donut or something. Just like a special feeling. He knows how much I love her and I'm thrilled to work with her again.

It was more exciting though, we were put in a Trio or as we called it a tripanionship of power. Because Sister Call's companion Sister Moore was a visa waiter, and her visa came! She's leaving for Brazil as we speak! (Recife mission for those of you who know brazil...) This last week we got to run around the ward meeting people for me and saying good bye for her and learning portuguese in our spare time.( I can say that I'm a missionary... and I know the book of mormon is true... that's all!) haha I will miss teaching the deaf in pioneer, but I know that the Lord needs me here.

So now I live with a new family, The Zachary's. So far I like them and I like the Fairview ward. (Oh I now live in Bellevue Nebraska) Today I will finally get to settle all my stuff in and maybe it will seem like I live there. Something that is cool about being a sister leader is we will get to go on exchanges every week. I'm a little nervous but I trust that heavenly father knows what he is doing!

This area is so much smaller than Pioneer, it is crazy! It won't take nearly as long to learn how to navigate. It's weird for a ward to have such small boundaries out here but it is cool! We have a lot of work. A girl at church yesterday introduced us to her friend that wants to learn about the church. We were so excited! (can you imagine teaching a person that has so much support and desire?!) I think that will be incredible.

Well family, I hope you know that the work is incredible out here. Mom talked about some of the things she learned in the Jensen's ward about being a missionary. It is so true! Being a missionary isn't that hard, you just share who you are by being a good friend. That's all! The lord knows what he is doing, I hope all of you are happy and healthy! Jordan said the bobbing for donuts at grandma's went well, said he learned a new tactic. I hope you guys can send me some pictures! Love you to the Moon and Space! Keep Choosing the right and keep being incredible!

Love,

Sister McMaster

Saying good bye to my Sister Schrader!

Sister Moore! Off to Brazil!

Awkward picture of us hugging our "mom" Yay for having a sister in the mission! Off to RECIFE!

Monday, October 14, 2013

How are all of you feeling this week?? Are you loving the changing leaves and the fall temperatures?? I sure am! Yesterday we took an investigator to the Trail Center in Omaha, and the drive there was incredible! I love it when the leaves are yellow and red, I finally figured out how to print pictures so I'll be sending home postcardish things (to any of you people in the world that haven't written me you won't get one because I won't have your address... so write me a letter :)) So change is just the greatest right?? Transfers happen tomorrow! Can you believe it? I've made it through another transfer... so weird! I'm really not sure if I'll stay here or go but I'm praying that I will have peace with the changes that may come.

So this week was a good one! We taught the lesson in sign language, and fortunately had an interpreter come help us. It was quite a blessing. The man's name is Shane, and he's a tease! He's like 6'5" and huge... and he tells me that I'm bad at signing and need to buy an ASL book. What a punk! You try to learn to pray in sign language in 8 weeks... Just kidding. It's actually just funny because Deaf people are ridiculously blunt, they are also ridiculously patient and they love to tease, I love working with these people. And guess what miracle happened?? Shane came to church! That was the first investigator I've ever had come to church. I was shocked!! Then another miracle, the interpreter was a brother, which is rare, but he was able to go to priesthood with him. Yup it was a really good Sunday! I played the Organ again which is always just a party... Don't tell but I just stopped playing the pedals... It's very hard to sight read pedals my brain just couldn't do it yesterday.

Hmm other things that happened.. I got in a car accident sort of... that was dumb. I got rear ended while on an exchange so I was driving. Hopefully that doesn't mean that I can't drive anymore... I don't think it will. It was super minor and the other car just barely scratched the bumper. But I had to follow procedure and call the police. And then I had to like tell people my first name... it was weird to be called Catherine, I wanted to tell the lady my name is Sister. Anyway everything was okay and it was kind of a weird flash back to the night that the Christmas car became christmasy. Did that car live? I never heard the story of it's life.

So I wanted to leave you with a happy thought but the timer is running out and freaking out at me, it's somewhat stressful. I just glanced through my notes to find a conference quote: Remember this week to not loos your way or become lost, do not be unwilling to endure to the end. Press forward and continue to hold fast! (Kevin S Hamilton) I love you family! I hope you all have an awesome week! Keep smileing and enduring to the end! Love you!

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

How are you all doing?? Did you love conference! Mom sent me some pictures and it looks like the St. George Marathon tradition is holding strong! Good to hear you made it to the finish again dad! Congratulations! How many times is that now?? Maybe we should make a family goal of all running it some day. That'd be awesome right?? (Tanner don't you shake your head... you know you'd love it :)) Cool stuff! Isn't conference just the best? It went by way too fast... I was just soaking it up like a sponge. All of the talks were very powerful didn't you think? You should tell me which ones were your favorites! I don't know how to pick favorites but I especially loved President Monson's talk from Sunday Morning. He's so awesome. I loved the story that he told about the man that knew he needed Tommy Monson to help him and he knew that he would know exactly what he needed. I couldn't help but think about our Tommy McMaster... I hope you're being in tune with the spirit always Thomas! But it was really just what I needed to hear about being patient and enduring to the end. I loved the poem and I wish I could quote it perfectly but this is what I wrote in my notes "Good timber does not grow with ease, the more the storm the more the strength" We can have eternal peace but we must be patient, we must recognize that not matter where we are in the storm we can turn to our savior. I'm so grateful for that!

The work here in Pioneer is interesting! We are praying to find more prepared people. A lot of the people we are teaching are not having a lot of progress but we keep praying for them and hoping that they will feel how important the Gospel of Jesus Christ really is. It is such an important thing to come closer to Christ. I pray all of you recognize the importance in each of your lives. Ha ha wow family just had a miracle happen while sitting at the computer... remember how one second ago I was talking about how I need to be patient to find prepared people? Don't even worry about it a lady just walked up to us and told us she wants us to come to her house and talk with her and her boyfriend. To make it more exciting she is deaf so we were communicating entirely in sign language. Why didn't I ever take ASL? Ah well it was a sweet experience and the prepared people come to us when we are prepared. We are getting a lot better at signing but we have a long way to go! Yay I'm so bubbly now, she understood what I was talking about! So Pray for Marie, the women I met 5 seconds ago, maybe we will see miracles happen with her!

I love this gospel so much. I am so excited to see more miracles happen this week! We will be teaching Gum this week, he is so funny he tells us that the gospel is too good to be true... but we will help him see that it isn't too good to be true... it just is true! We are transitioning him over to the University elders so he can go to the single's ward. It's kind of sad, but we have to do what's best for each investigator. The Pioneer Elders are like on fire.. they had a baptism on Saturday and they have one next week too! Funny how the people we share an area with are just raking in prepared people. We're praying that we can have similar success as we continue to be prayerful and faithful and obedient. I love being a missionary. I love being in Nebraska, and I love all of you! Sorry this e-mail is short ish but that lesson with the lady in sign language just took up some time. Tender Mercies of our heavenly father are so beautiful. Stay strong! Choose the Right and study conference! I expect lots of messages about your favorites :)

Love you Lots!

Love Always,

Sister McMaster

NBD fam... I still do ballet when I can :)

new gloves from Mom! yay!

Celebrating Sister Schrader's birthday with the Katz, such a good day!!